Night vision device for a vehicle

• US 20040150515A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dick Eriksson, Jan-Erik Kallhammer, Lars Karlsson, Staffan Straat
• Original Assignee: Dick Eriksson, Jan-Erik Kallhammer, Lars Karlsson, Staffan Straat
• Inventors: Karlsson, Lars, Straat, Staffan, Eriksson, Dick, Kallhammer, Jan-Erik
• Application Number:
  US10/423,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

In a night vision arrangement for a motor vehicle in which a camera (1) captures an infra-red image of the roadway in front of the vehicle, a video signal generated by the camera is processed by a signal processor (2) so that the field of view of the image displayed by a display unit (3) is selected in accordance with a control signal. The control signal is generated by a signal generator (15) which is responsive to one or more parameters of the movement of the vehicle. The width of the field of view may be decreased with increasing speed. The axial direction of the field of view may be adjusted depending upon the nature of a turning movement of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A night vision arrangement for a vehicle, the night vision arrangement including an infra-red-sensitive camera fixed to the motor vehicle to capture an image of the roadway in front of the vehicle, the image having a predetermined horizontal angular field of view, the camera generating a video signal representing the image, the arrangement further including a display unit adapted to display at least part of the captured age to the driver of the vehicle, characterised in that the arrangement further comprises a signal processing unit adapted to process the video signal, and a sensor unit adapted to sense one or more parameters of the movement of the vehicle, and to provide a control signal the arrangement being such that, in use, the signal processor electronically processes the video signal so that the field of view of the image displayed by the display unit is selected in accordance with the said control signal.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the signal processor is adapted to process the video signal so that the angular extent of the field of view of the image displayed by the display unit is related to the speed of the vehicle, the sensor being adapted to sense speed.

6. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein part of the image captured by the camera is selected for display, that part being selected in dependence upon the direction of movement of the vehicle, the sensor being adapted to sense the direction of movement of the vehicle.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the sensor includes means to sense the rolling direction of the steering wheels relative to the vehicle.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the sensor senses the instantaneous position of the vehicle in a co-ordinate system to derive a signal corresponding to the driving direction and/or speed of the vehicle.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein the means for sensing the instantaneous position of the vehicle incorporate a GPS sensor arrangement.

10. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the display unit is a monitor which displays an image directly to the vehicle operator.

11. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the display unit is a head-up display unit.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11 wherein the head-up display unit incorporates a mirror for reflecting a virtual image to the driver of the vehicle.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the mirror is a semi-transparent mirror, enabling the operator to view the reflected image and, simultaneously, to see a real image through the mirror.

3. A night vision arrangement for a vehicle, the night vision a arrangement including an infra-red-sensitive camera fixed to the motor vehicle to capture an image of the roadway in front of the vehicle, the image having a predetermined horizontal angular field of view, the camera generating a video signal representing the image the arrangement further including a display unit adapted to display at least part of the captured image to the drive of the vehicle, characterised in that the arrangement further comprises a sensor unit adapted to sense the speed of the vehicle and to generate a control signal, the control signal controlling an arrangement which is operative so that the angular extent of the field of view of the image displayed by the display unit is related to the speed of the vehicle.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the arrangement comprises a signal processing unit adapted to process the video signal, the signal processor being connected to process electronically the video signal so that the angular extent of the field of view of the image displayed by the display unit is related to the speed of the vehicle.

5. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the arrangement further comprises an adjustable optical system provided on the camera, the control signal being adapted to control the adjustable optical system on the camera so that the angular extent of the field of view of the image displayed by the display unit is related to the speed of the vehicle.